Overhead console mod works partially!!

[Jake Nemeth]

2002 Sport Trac XLT

I did the mod to remove the copper ribbon connector and used #194 pigtails and new LED bulbs, the map lights work, but not the dome light!!
I have red wire to one bulb and green to the other, (These are constant 12V) with a ground (black) and a white wire (to dimmer)to each switch for the map lights. I wired black to black, and brown from each socket to either the green or red power wires. They work perfectly, nice and bright, but no dome light!! I did check fuses no issue!

What gives??? I need a little guidance for the next step!

 

[njbronco]

there is no dimmer wire Dimmer works by lowering the voltage on the positive leg. you should have two positves and one negative. one positive is always on, so you can turn the dome light on even when the ignition is off. The other is triggered by the door switchs. Not sure how 02 is but m 96 bronco, 01 sport trac and 99 explorers are all like this. Did you try putting a positive leg from the bulb onto the white wire?

I put a pic, but in 2nd gens, the bulbs have three wires, black (shared ground), red is 12V+ for right, Green is 12+for left. The Switches for the map lights also have three wires. Right has black(ground), Red for Positive turn on with switch press, and white for Poitive pass through regardless of switch press when door is opened, left is same but green wire.

sounds like you went to far and also deleted your dome switch.

 

[Jake Nemeth]

there is no dimmer wire Dimmer works by lowering the voltage on the positive leg. you should have two positves and one negative. one positive is always on, so you can turn the dome light on even when the ignition is off. The other is triggered by the door switchs. Not sure how 02 is but m 96 bronco, 01 sport trac and 99 explorers are all like this. Did you try putting a positive leg from the bulb onto the white wire?

I put a pic, but in 2nd gens, the bulbs have three wires, black (shared ground), red is 12V+ for right, Green is 12+for left. The Switches for the map lights also have three wires. Right has black(ground), Red for Positive turn on with switch press, and white for Poitive pass through regardless of switch press when door is opened, left is same but green wire.

sounds like you went to far and also deleted your dome switch.

View attachment 159749

Back to the drawing board!! Connected power wires from #194 socket to white wires, now the lights come on with the door closed!! Opening the door both dome lights go out. Turning the dimmer to turn off the rear passenger cabin light, turns on the front dome lights!! WTH???

Jake

 

[njbronco]

Did you not ground them on their own? Sounds like you got ground wrong. I think it may be a ground switch on the door. Hence the reason they come on when the door is shut and sends a ground signal.